What Dropping Pre-Departure Covid Tests Will Mean for the Travel Industry

Renowned travel expert and #1 Amazon bestselling author of Hospitality from Within Sarah Dandashy continues to stay on top of emerging trends in the travel industry. Having recently discussed the negative impact of pre-departure covid testing requirements to renter the United States, Dandashy talked about the possibility of the requirement ending in June 2022 and what that would mean for travel.

“Now, for those that are following along and certainly trying to plan their future trips you know that if you travel internationally many restrictions have been lifted in and around the world,” said Dandashy. And she continues to note that as of June 2022, “leisure travel, as a whole, domestically within the United States, we are seeing numbers unlike really anything before. Definitely, numbers that are surpassing 2019 but where we are still lagging is in international travel.”

However, this is likely to change during the second half of 2022 if the current rules stay in place. As of June 12, 2022, the CDC (Centers for Disease Control) lifted the order “requiring persons to show a negative COVID-19 test result or documentation of recovery from COVID-19 before boarding a flight to the United States.” The CDC also noted the organization “continues to evaluate the latest science and state of the pandemic and will reassess the need for a testing requirement if the situation changes. CDC will communicate any updates publicly if and/or when they change.”

For now, things are looking up for the travel industry. The lifting of this order will surely increase the number of people willing to travel internationally, especially since many countries have relaxed their entry requirements as well. Dandashy also believes that “we will see an influx of international travelers coming to the US” which will bring a significant revenue increase to the travel industry throughout the country.

This is a common belief of industry experts. “Airlines for America said its members — including American Airlines, United Airlines, Southwest Airlines, and Delta Air Lines — had believed lifting the requirements would lead more foreigners to visit the US,” (CNN).

Roger Dow, President, and CEO of the U.S. Travel Association, also agrees with this assessment and notes the overall impact this move will mean to the U.S. economy. “Prior to the pandemic, travel was one of our nation’s largest industry exports. The lifting of this requirement will enable the industry to lead the way toward a broader U.S. economic and jobs recovery” (Travel Pulse).

This news is sure to get travelers excited as well since the stress associated with the 1-day testing requirement is gone. Many travelers avoided international travel over the concerns of securing a test in time to return home and the potential for an infection to prevent them from returning home for weeks.

Survey results released in April 2002, indicated that Americans are ready for Covid-related travel requirements to end. In fact, “Almost half (44%) said they’d be more likely to travel if the requirement was removed; just 10% said they’d be less likely to travel, and 46% said ending the policy would not impact their travel plans either way” (Tripit).

And, the U.S. Travel Association predicted that the travel industry could see an additional 5.4M visitors resulting in $9 billion dollars in revenue.

Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B!

Image

Latest

AI
AtlasIED Behind the Scenes: Redefining Support with AI and Human Assistants
July 18, 2025

In the age of AI, the question isn’t whether technology can replace humans—it’s whether it should. At AtlasIED, that debate goes beyond the theoretical, delving into how businesses can balance the efficiency of AI with the empathy and nuance of human touch. While AI assistants offer lightning-fast scheduling and data retrieval, human assistants bring judgment,…

Read More
InfoComm 2025
Inside the Soundscape: AtlasIED’s Immersive Booth Experience at InfoComm 2025
July 18, 2025

Walking through AtlasIED’s booth at InfoComm 2025 felt less like visiting an exhibit and more like entering the next era of audio design. The spotlight was on the Atlas+Fyne IsoFlare™ Series—a powerful testament to how distributed audio can be both beautifully simple and sonically sophisticated. In a show where innovation competes for attention, AtlasIED stood…

Read More
audio systems
AtlasIED Unveils Versatile IsoFlare™ Audio Systems at InfoComm 2025
July 18, 2025

As the AV world gathered at InfoComm 2025, AtlasIED seized the moment to highlight a powerful truth: exceptional sound shouldn’t be exclusive. Their presentation of the Atlas+Fyne IsoFlare™ Series Audio Systems stood out not just for performance, but for purpose—bringing high-fidelity distributed audio to spaces of every size and budget. It’s a statement of inclusivity…

Read More
conferencing technology
Lifelike and Headset-Free: HP’s New Spatial Conferencing Tech Aims to Revolutionize Remote Work
July 17, 2025

Video conferencing technology has evolved dramatically since the early days of codec-based systems. Today, the challenge is no longer just about better audio or sharper video—it’s about human connection. With hybrid and remote work models now entrenched, the next frontier in conferencing is immersive, spatial experiences that closely mimic face-to-face interaction. At InfoComm 2025,…

Read More